Adverse
by obsessedwithstabler
Summary: Ten glimpses into the life of a family forged by fate and bonded through love in the face of adversity.


A series of ten moments in the life of House, Cameron and their family. The Jimmy Wayne version of Sara Smile is used in this story (which isn't ours, of course). Cowritten with SVUProductions. Enjoy!

Disclaimer: Not ours!

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1) The first time Allison Cameron knew something was wrong, their daughter was three months old.

All of the books she read and her own personal knowledge told her that Sara should be starting to focus her eyes, but she wasn't. Everyone she talked to said that she was a new mom, and she was worrying over nothing. It was completely in her gut, she knew something was wrong.

She was sitting in House's office one morning with the baby cradled in her arms. House was harassing Chase and Foreman, and when he came into his office, Cameron looked up at him with tears in her eyes.

"I think there's something wrong with Sara."

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The night they got the results, Cameron refused to put Sara in her crib. She just sat on the edge of the bed she shared with House, holding their baby and crying silent tears. What had she done to her baby? This was her fault, somehow.

House slipped into the room and sat down beside her. Upon receiving the news, he had taken a long drive on his motorcycle to think, and the gears of his mind were turning, trying to figure out what had happened.

She barely registered his arrival. Her eyes were riveted to Sara's perfect little face, and another wave of desperation hit her. "I don't know what to do," she finally whispered.

He chewed on his bottom lip. The news that their daughter was blind had struck him to the core, and for once he had no idea what to do. "Neither do I."

A silence fell over them once more, and Cameron didn't fight it as House guided her to lay down against the pillows. Then he stretched out beside her and laid Sara between them. They were both utterly devastated, but somehow it was understood that they wouldn't let this tear them apart. They were forever bonded through this tiny creature, and in each other they had the one thing they'd both always needed.

A family.

2) The first time she sat up on her own, Sara was in the board room with her mother.

Both House and Cameron were back at work, but since Sara's diagnosis, Cameron refused to leave her. And when Cuddy tried to argue about the baby being with them in the board room, everyone in the hospital could hear House yelling at her. After that, Cuddy stayed away from the baby as much as she could.

Cameron was going over a file, and Sara was lying on the baby blanket House's mother had made for her only grandchild. She looked up from the file in time to see Sara sit up. With a gasp, Cameron grabbed her phone and took a picture, then sent a text to her husband.

House glanced at the picture and smiled softly. The past few months had been rough, but they were adjusting, and Sara was hitting her milestones on track.

By the time House got to the boardroom, Sara had managed to sit up again. Cameron was sitting beside her baby, her file open and spread out in front of her. She looked up and smiled when House limped in.

The look on his face shook Cameron to her core, and it was then that she realized just how much House loved their little girl.

3) The first time Sara spoke, House was standing in the kitchen making pancakes.

Cameron was still asleep, so he got up, got Sara out of her crib and changed her, then deposited her into her high chair with a bowl of cheerios. Cameron wasn't feeling well, so he took it upon himself to make breakfast.

As he flipped the pancakes, Sara dipped her chubby hand into the cereal, marveling at the feel of it. "Da..."

He smirked proudly. "Atta girl. Now I can win a few of those bets I placed."

She giggled, happily repeating, "Da! Da!"

He had never been more proud.

4) The first time Sara walked, House was sitting at his piano, his fingers moving elegantly across the keys.

Sara was on her blanket that had been laid close to the piano. As House touched the keys, the eighteen month old girl stood up and took a shaky step. "Da..."

He reached his hand out, ready to grab her if she fell.

She stood there for a moment, wobbling slightly. Her little brow furrowed, and her lower lip puckered. Then she heard another note, and slowly she took another step toward the sound.

He played with one hand and kept the other stretched until she reached him.

Finally grasping his hand, she babbled until he lifted her into his lap. Making herself comfortable, she settled into his chest and stuck her thumb into her mouth.

House smiled and kissed the top of her dark head.

_When you feel cold I'll warm you_

_And when feel you can't go on_

_I'll come and hold you_

_It's you and me forever_

_Sara, smile_

_Oh, won't you smile a while for me, Sara_

_Sara, smile_

_Oh, won't you smile a while, Sara_

5) The first time Sara was sick, Cameron was absolutely terrified.

It was nothing more than a cold, and she and House both knew it. But that didn't stop each tiny sniffle and cough from breaking their hearts. Sara was entirely a daddy's girl, but that night, she clung to her mother until she fell asleep from pure exhaustion.

After Sara fell asleep, Cameron didn't have the heart to put her in her crib. So she sat down on her bed, rocking Sara slightly and kissing her damp hair.

House watched Cameron with their daughter. He wouldn't admit it, but he had been just as afraid as Cameron was. Maybe even more so. Medically Sara was going to be just fine.

That didn't stop him from staying up all night and watching over his girls.

6) The first time Sara fell, she was with Wilson and Cuddy.

House and Cameron were out for the first time in a long time, and Wilson had gladly volunteered to watch their little girl. Somehow Cuddy had wound up coming along, and they sat on the couch together and watched Sara play with her toys.

Cuddy looked at Wilson, her dark eyes filled with something he couldn't quite identify. "James..."

There was a sudden thud, and a moment of silence before Sara let out a terrified howl.

Wilson quickly got to his feet and knelt by Sara's side. The little girl didn't seem to have any injuries, but he gently lifted her off of the floor. "Hey, you're alright," he said softly.

Cuddy quickly got up and stood beside Wilson. "Is she okay?" she questioned, running her hands over the whimpering baby girl.

Wilson gently bounced Sara up and down. "Yeah. I think it just scared her."

Already Sara was starting to calm down, and Cuddy finally relaxed.

"You're really good with her."

Wilson smiled at her, and before she realized what was happening, their lips crashed together in a desperate kiss.

It turned out that that night would be the start of many firsts.

7) The first time Sara truly discovered her father's piano, it was a week before her second birthday.

Her father was watching TV, and she was sitting on the floor with her beloved Wilson bear. Having no sight, she was quickly becoming adept at walking around the apartment on her own without bumping into things.

Dropping her Wilson bear, she got to her feet with ease. She refused to wear shoes, and every time her mother put them on her little feet, she quickly ripped them off. Cameron had eventually given up on trying to make her wear shoes inside.

Moving carefully, Sara walked across the floor until her tiny hand came into contact with the piano's smooth exterior. She reached up and startled herself when her fingers hit the keys and a disjointed sound was made. Pleased, Sara hit the keys again.

House watched as his daughter tapped on the keys. Normally he was very protective of his piano and refused to let anyone touch it, but this time he would have to make an exception.

8) The first time House and Cameron ever fought in front of Sara, she was afraid.

In her short life, her parents had never so much as raised their voices at each other. At least not in front of her. Sara anxiously clung to her Wilson bear and leaned against the leg of her daddy's Steinway piano.

"House, I don't think I can do this again!" Cameron's blue-green eyes were filled with tears, and her voice wavered. "Look at Sara! Could you put another child through that?"

He jerked his thumb towards their daughter. "She isn't deaf."

"This baby could be. What would we do then?" Her mind was spinning through the worst case scenarios, and her chest tightened.

"Same thing. We handle it."

It was just that easy for him. _We handle it_. Trembling slightly, Cameron leaned against the counter and closed her eyes. Not having the baby wasn't an option. But after he was born, maybe it would be time to take more permanent measures. She couldn't do this a third time.

"I know it's scary. But chances are this baby will be fine."

Chances, chances, chances... She scrubbed her hand roughly over her face. "Greg..."

Suddenly the yelling stopped, and though she couldn't see, Sara knew that her mommy and daddy weren't mad anymore. She just knew.

9) The first time Sara met her baby brother was at the hospital where her mommy and daddy worked.

She knew the hospital by sound and smell, and as her daddy carried her down the hall, she was relaxed and comfortable.

Cameron was in the Maternity ward, and when House carried Sara in, she smiled. "Hi, angel. Are you ready to meet your brother?"

Sara had a disappointed look on her face when her daddy placed her on the hospital bed. She didn't move, and her grip on her Wilson bear tightened.

"Now you have a little brother to turn into your own personal slave. How's that sound?" House asked.

Her frown turned into a scowl. All she had heard for a long time was her mommy talking about baby Gregory kicking her, and her daddy telling Uncle Jimmy all the things he was going to teach baby Gregory.

Cameron started to look worried. The expression on her daughter's face was the same exact one she'd seen on House when he was up to something.

Sara moved so fast, no one would have believed she was blind. Her fingers landed on baby Gregory's arm, and she pinched him.

Immediately Gregory began to wail, and Cameron sighed as House scooped Sara up in his arms.

Thus Sara was thrust into the world of siblinghood.

10) The first time Sara could see, she was seven years and House had stumbled onto an article about vision restoration months before, and they weighed every pro and con before finally deciding that it was the best thing for Sara. It was an expensive and relatively new procedure, but it worked.

As Sara's bandages were removed from her eyes, Cameron and House were standing in front of her, their hands clutched together. Little Greg was sitting in a chair nearby, swinging his legs back and forth.

The doctor who had performed the surgery removed the final layer of gauze, and he smiled.

Sara blinked slowly, almost hesitant. Her parents were behind the doctor, and she called out to them. "Daddy...?"

He broke out into a grin. "That's me."

Cameron cried, releasing House's hand as he moved toward their daughter.

Sara sniffled as she saw her father's face for the first time. He leaned in close to her, and she reached up, running her fingers over his stubbled cheek, so comforting and familiar.

He wouldn't have admitted it, but House was on the verge of tears himself. His baby girl could see. He squeezed her hand and hugged her tightly.

Sara buried her face in her father's chest, her tiny arms wrapping themselves firmly around his neck.

After a few moments, Cameron walked over and wrapped her arms around her husband and daughter.

Still in his chair, Gregory huffed.

"I'm hungry!"

The End.

A/N: Aww, we love Hameron! Thanks for reading, and please review!


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